Save him again
by tortoiseshellKelpie
Summary: Post sburb. The trolls and beta kids now live on earth. John gets in an accident and Karkat has to take care of him, along with trying to track down whoever hurt his matesprit. I'm sorry. I shipped… I shipped so hard. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

A/N This is just started out as a really short story but somehow became a thing. It was just for fun though so there are going to be plenty of errors.

Post sburb. The trolls and kids (beta) now live on earth. John gets in an accident and Karkat has to take care of him, along with trying to track down whoever hurt his matesprit. (I'm sorry. I shipped… I shipped so hard)

I own none of the characters; they all belong to the mighty Andrew Hussie.

**=== Be John Egbert**

Your name is John Egbert.

You are currently in a hospital, waiting for the doctor come back into your examination room. You're lying down on the bed after having an x-ray taken of your arm, leg, and ribs. You were also given some serious pain killers too… you think it was morphine, but you can't remember. Everything is sort of fuzzy and you would be giggling yourself to death if it didn't hurt.

As another laugh is choked off by the sharp pain in your chest you notice that there are several sets of eyes on you, most of which are shooting you glares or pitying looks. You can't tell though. Actually you can't see anything clearly.

Speaking of eye sight, there's something missing…

Oh!

Your glasses.

Duh…

No wonder you can't see anything.

Your stupidity makes you want to laugh harder, and you only manage to stifle a giggle shortly followed by what felt like a kick in the ribs.

Why do your ribs hurt?

Where are you?

Right the hospital…

"What's so funny?" you can recognize Dave's voice, "Are you going to let us in on the joke?"

You grin widely at the figure you think is Dave, "I can't see jack shit." Instantly you burst into laughter. You don't usually swear, and for some reason it was hilarious. However no one else is laughing. You quickly put a serious look on your face. This is supposed to be a serious matter.

The doctor walks into the room and dims the lights. He sticks the various x-rays on to the light board to show you and your friends, but as stated previously you can't see 'jack shit'.

The darkened room and the pain killers are getting to you. Your eyes are slipping closed and you can feel yourself falling asleep to the boring drone of the doctor as he tells your friends the extent of the damage. Whatever, he's not directly talking to you anyways and you fall asleep.

**=== Be someone else**

_Who? _

_I don't know… try being that Dave kid._

_ok_

**=== Try being that Dave kid.**

_It works_

You are now that 'Dave kid'. But seriously who un-ironically called you a kid? Your name is Dave Strider and you are NOT a child. Get your facts straight before becoming somebody else.

_Ok ok… sorry_

You are currently sitting in a dark hospital room listening to a rather boring doctor talk about your best friend, who just fell asleep.

What a derp.

Your ecto-sister Rose is sitting tentatively in the chair next to you, taking notes on what the doctor is saying… lame, but whatever. You guess someone should be listening to what the man is saying.

Basically John only broke his leg, but bruised his ribs and dislocated an arm. You're sure that it wasn't fun but the man was seriously lucky. The damage could have been worse… much worse. Although you're not sure what exactly happened, you know John had been hit by a car. If Vriska hadn't been there he might have died. You suppose you'll have to thank the spider queen later.

The doctor and Rose were now discussing when John would be well enough to go home. They wanted to keep in for a couple nights for observation. You know to make sure that he didn't have shit like internal bleeding or a brain damage. Even though it's in John's best interest, Karkat will be furious.

You groan at the thought of the troll. You still haven't called him to let him know about John's accident. He'll probably just yell a bunch of obscenities and threaten to tear your throat out you, but you need to tell him his matesprit is ok. You know you would be the same if no one told you and Terezi went missing for a few days.

_Don't call the troll._

What are you even thinking? Of course you're gonna call him. Did you momentarily forget what it means to be matesprits or some shit? Jegus that's stupid.

_Perhaps you should be someone else for a little while._

**=== Be Karkat**

You are now Karkat Vantas. You're currently pacing the floor in the kitchen of your matesprit's hive, who should have been home hours ago. You've tried calling but the fuckass's phone is turned off. Now you're starting to worry… it's nearly eight and you haven't heard from him. None of the other trolls still on earth have heard from him either and you can't get a hold of any of the humans.

Walking over to the table you check your computer. There aren't any new messages on Trollian or Pesterchum.

You close the laptop and slam a fist down on the table.

Where the fuck is he?

You captchalogue your computer and lay your head down on the mahogany tabletop. Perhaps you should go out and find John. You have no idea where to start though. John had been at work until five, and then he would have gone to visit Vriska, the spider bitch. You hate that she decided John was her morail, but you hate that you have to share the human with someone else more. Surely if john had ended up missing dinner he would have called.

John never does anything without telling you, not after the game anyways.

You shake away the unpleasant memories associated with that game that is long over. You won and now you're here… with him. That's all that matters.

The clock on the stove reads 8:45.

"That's it!" you snarl at the table. Pushing back your chair you stand up, "Damnit! I'm going find you and I swear to Gog there will be hell to pay for this Egbert!"

You're on your way up the stairs to grab your sickles when your phone rings. Quickly you scramble through your sylladex and end up dropping a few of your captchalogue cards, effectively scattering several items across the staircase.

Fuck.

Ignoring the new décor on the steps you grab your phone. Honestly you're shocked to see that Strider of all people is calling you. You two tend to avoid each other seeing as he's an insufferable prick.

"STRIDER, WHAT THE TAINT CHAFFING FUCK DO YOU WANT? I WAS JUST ON MY WAY TO MURDER THAT IDIOT YOU CALL YOUR BEST FRIEND. JACKASS HASN'T CALLED ME YET."

"Well good news Karcles, I know where you can find him."

"AND EXACTLY WHERE IN THE HELL WOULD THAT BE?"

"Are you sitting down now?"

"NO… WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON DAVE?"

"Uh, you might want to take a seat and try to keep calm. Before you flip your shit, John is ok. He's alive and breathing- "

"THE FUCK IS GOING ON STRIDER? WHERE IS JOHN?"

"Calm your tits. We're at the hospital. There was an accident."

"WHA-"

"Before you say another word, John is fine! Jade is on her way to pick you up and bring you here to see him. I suggest you keep your shit upright, if you flip it in front of her she'll leave you at home. See you soon."

"DAVE, DON'T YOU DARE HANG UP! DAVE FUCKING STRIDER! JEGUS! YOU'RE LUCKY YOU'RE AT THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE I SWEAR I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR THROAT OUT WHEN I GET THERE!"

You continue to rant at the phone in your hand. Threats and obscenities spill from your food hole like it's fucking Niagara Falls.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N I would have had this finished sooner but I just graduated and am on vacation! So here's the next chapter, enjoy!

**=== John Egbert: Wake up.**

The scene plays in front of your eyes again.

One moment you're standing outside of Vriska's house. You can hear an engine roar to life down the street. As you turn to see the car pass, Vriska screams, and your feel her robotic hand grasp at your upper arm as the vehicle rumbles across the grass. The female troll tries to pull you out of the way of the speeding automobile. You close your eyes just as the car manages to clip your right side. The force of the impact makes you black out but, you can still hear Vriska frantically calling your name.

When you open your eyes, you fully expect to see the cars headlights glaring as it storms forward again. However, the room before you is white and you can only hear quiet snoring.

You run your good hand through your hair. There are still a few things you can't remember about the accident, but at this point the details might be as good as gone. After you and your friends beat the game you quickly became an expert at repressing memories. Of course Jade thinks that your ability is stupid, that you shouldn't run from the past but it's your brain and you can do what you damn well please with it.

You sigh and let your arm fall back onto the bed and your sore chest protests the motion. The drugs must be wearing off, and you wonder if the doctors will give you more of the same or perhaps something a little less potent.

Your hand brushes against hair and you pull back instinctively. Squinting in the dark you can make out a grey figure in the chair next to you, its head lying on the edge of your bed. Even without your glasses you can recognize Karkat's sleeping figure. You've spent countless hours watching him sleep…

_That's… uh… a little disturbing._

Not in a creepy way! God, you two are practically married and spend pretty much all of your time together.

_If you say so…_

Whatever. It's not weird.

Realizing who it was, you reach down and run your fingers through his silky hair. After spending the last five years with the troll it still surprises you how soft his hair is. All of the trolls look like their hair is coarse but, if Karkat is any indication, they're not.

Underneath your hand Karkat shifts a little before sitting up. Guess he hadn't been sleeping as much as resting. Karkat grabs your hand and gently holds it in his own.

"HEY…"

"Hey."

Karkat squeezes your hand as he leans forward and carefully places his lips to your forehead. He pulls back and wipes his face; he's just close enough that you can make out red tinted tears on his grey skin.

"FUCKASS, YOU HAD ME SO DAMN WORRIED."

"Sorry Karkat… I…"

"SHUT UP. YOU DON'T NEED TO APOLOGIZE. I JUST… I THOUGHT… MY IMAGINATION GOT THE BEST OF ME, YOU'RE NOT ROAD KILL AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS."

You smirk at his word choice but Karkat gives you a look that said 'I don't want to talk about it' and you're not going to push him now, you don't really have the energy to. You notice what looks like a stack of captchalogue cards in the troll's hands.

"What's that?"

"OH... YOUR CLOTHES AND SOME THINGS YOU HAD WHEN YOU CAME IN."

"… clothes?"

For the first time you look down and realize that you're wearing one of those thin fabric hospital gowns. Perhaps it's the drugs because it takes you a moment to work out how they would have changed your clothing. After a few minutes you realize that the doctors would have removed your t-shirt and jeans and… underwear… You can feel your face heat up as it must have turned a bright red. The only people who have seen you naked were your dad, and Karkat… and now an entire staff that had brought you in.

"JOHN?"

Your face burns red. Why is this freaking you out? They're doctors for Pete's sake; they see naked people all the time.

"JOHN, ARE YOU OK? DO I NEED TO CALL THE DOCTOR BACK IN?"

"Uh… no… I just… uh… water… I need water…"

Karkat gives you a doubtful look. You're pretty sure he knows exactly what worked you up, he knows you too well. Regardless he gets up and fills a small paper cup in the sink.

When he brings the water back you begin to reach for the cup, but Karkat gives a low growl and you re-think your outstretched hand. You must have made a face when reaching up, because you are now fully aware of the pain radiating from your ribs. It's dull from the drugs, but definitely there.

"FUCKASS…" he mumbles before bringing the cup closer to your mouth.

Leaning your head forward gingerly you place your lips on the edge of the cup, and Karkat tips it slightly back. You know full well that you could have taken the class out of his hands from this height, but you don't even reach for it. This is actually very nice. It reminds you of the first time you had the flu; your dad stayed home from work and sat by next to the bed all day, he read you stories, told you jokes, and didn't let you so much as lift a finger. You miss him so much it hurts. But you have Karkat now, along with all of your other friends.

The cool water feels good as it slides down your throat. You had no idea you were this thirsty. The red in your face dies down, leaving a slightly pink blush across your face. Once you've finished the water you let your head fall back against the pillow and Karkat throws the cup into a nearby trash can.

When Karkat comes back he sits on the edge of your bed, not the chair. Gingerly he curls up to your side being very careful to not touch any of your bruised or cracked ribs. The troll reaches up and places his lips to one of your still pink cheeks. You would have wrapped your arms around him, but he is pressed against your arm that is in a sling and reaching over with the other one would not be a good idea. So you settle for turning your head and kissing him back.

To be honest it's actually the better of your two options.

You press your lips against his and he lets out one of his content chirping noises. The sound is similar to that of crickets or cicadas, but still as adorable as fuck.

You smile against his lips and can't help but let out a small chuckle at the noise.

"I love you so much."

"AND I PITY YOU… TO THE POINT WHERE I THINK I UNDERSTAND YOUR HUMAN EMOTION OF LOVE. JOHN EGBERT, THAT IS A FUCKING LOT."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Wow I thought this died! NOPE... My friend wrote me some john/kat for my birthday and inspired me to do another chapter. I'm going to try and do more when I get some more down time from my classes, but I don't know when that'll be. So look forward to more chapters eventually. :)

=== **Karkat Return Home**

"WELCOME HOME FUCKASS." You grumble at your matesprit as you push his wheelchair through the door of the hive. You managed to clean up a little between visiting hours; vacuumed, dusted, swept, waxed the floor, touched up the paint, re-shingle the roof…

_You only cleaned a little? I really don't think that re-shingling the roof constitutes as only a little…_

Shut your fucking vocal orifice. Visiting hours were only from 6 am to 8 pm. What else were you going to do with those 10 hours? Sleep? Fuck that noise. How on Alternia were you supposed to sleep knowing Egderp wasn't here with you. And yes that was only _a little_ bit of cleaning… Word of advice; never underestimate the ability of an anxious insomniac troll to get shit done.

_I just wanted to…_

Save it. You, Karkat Vantas, do NOT have the patients for this side dialogue to continue any farther. There are more important things to attend to.

_Fine, have it your way._

You return your train of thought back to the room before you, the 'living room' as John calls it. Ironically, this is where he will be living for the next few weeks till he can walk up stairs again... Not that you notice, irony is Dave's thing.

In the center of the room the 'hide-a-way' bed in the couch had been set up. John's old green pogo slime sheets fitted the mattress under a large lime green comforter. Against the far wall stood your entertainment center; complete with your prized 52 inch high definition LED flat screen and a surround sound speaker system that would have made Strider's car jealous. On the various shelves that stood beneath the TV sat John's terribly shitty movie collection. You had moved a majority of your movies up stairs to make room for ALL of John's favorites, which is to say ALL of his Nic Cage films. There were still a few of your movies on the shelf, the ones that John could understand and tolerate.

As you wheel John over to the bed he gawks at how you've set up his new sleeping arrangement.

"Wow Karkat… You didn't have to re-arrange the entire living room for me."

You mumble a few Alternian curses. You had re-arranged the entire HOUSE so he could get around more easily. Nothing the idiot said would have made you do anything different.

You deposit John next to the makeshift bed. You glare at John as he gapes at the room in wonder. He looks pathetic; his hair is disheveled (more so than normally) from having a lack of grooming supplies at the hospital, his arm hangs in one of those blue slings, and his white cast was covered in the signatures of all the other humans and trolls who had visited him. Casting another glance around the room you plant yourself on the bed and kick off your shoes, quickly captchaloging them.

John giggles and flinches at the pain in his side, which elicits a growl from you.

"WHAT'S SO FUNNY DIPSHIT?"

"Nothing…" he giggles again and your eyes narrow into a glare. His smile only widens. You can only assume that it's his stupid medication making him this way, but it could be that your matesprit is just a fucking moron. You sigh and decide to let it go. John is an enigma most of the time, a fact that you find endearing if not incredibly obnoxious.

You eye his mess of head of hair and decide it might be a good idea to deal with that now instead of later.

"COME ON EGBERT… YOU NEED A REAL BATH. NOT ONE OF THOSE SHITTY EXCUSE WIPEDOWNS THE HOSPITAL GAVE YOU."

"Oh Mr. Vantas! Could there perhaps be some ulterior motives behind your seemingly innocent question? Mmm?" John tried his best at a seductive eyebrow waggle.

Clenching your fists you fought the urge to blush and punch John in the face. You can't wait till they take him off the ridiculous drugs and he will stop acting like a bigger nookwhiff than usual.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP JOHN! YOU STINK AND YOUR HAIR IS A MESS. I'M TRING TO HELP YOU GAIN SOME NORMALACY HERE!"

"Mmmmhmmm. Suuuuure."

"FUCK OFF."

Apparently your response was hilarious because Egbert almost fell out of his wheel chair. This, of course, caused him to gasp in pain but regrettably didn't wipe the smirk off his face. You growl again at his stupidity.

"IDIOT."

=== **Be John again **

_A few hours in the future, but not many… You are now John Egbert once again._

After having been forced to take a bath with Karkat, you will admit it was not a totally unpleasant experience; the two of you crawled into the makeshift bed to watch a movie. You are currently sitting between Karkat's legs leaning back against him. His chin is resting in your freshly washed hair with his arms draped loosely around your waist. The way he's been so careful when touching you, it's like he thinks he'll break you more than you already have been.

The credits of the film you had been watching begin to roll and you lean your head back to try and look at your boyfriend/matesprit. Karkat lightly presses his lips to your forehead and the cicada like vibrating emits from his chest. The noise buzzes like the annoying insects in the trees, but it is a much lower pitch and reminds you of the purring a mountain lion might make. Your whole body vibrates with him.

The two of you sit like that until the TV screen turns blue, something that doesn't happen with DVDs. You had Karkat drag up your old VHS player from the basement so you could enjoy some of your favorite movies that haven't been transferred to DVD yet. Besides VHS is the way to go if you really want to experience some nostalgia, and you have been feeling very nostalgic…

Funny how near death experiences will do that to a person.

Very carefully Karkat slides out from behind you and goes to hit the rewind button, the remote being long lost.

You hear him mutter something about primitive technology under his breath when he finally is able to eject the tape.

At this point you had managed to wriggle your way under the sheets and lie down. The TV clicked off and the room dropped into pitch black darkness. Your pulse quickens a little when the troll turns around, his bright yellow eyes shining in the dark. Previously they would have been comforting to you… now all you can see are the headlights of the dark car speeding towards your face.

Your brain quickly overcomes this particular vision once Karkat has a hand in your hair. Softly he kisses your forehead before moving to sleep upstairs.

"Karkat?"

"WHAT?"

He sorta sneers at you, but you know he doesn't mean it. Karkat actually hardly ever means the vitriolic things he says.

"… Would you mind sleeping down here tonight? I'm still having nightmares about… this."

With your good hand you gesture to your injured body. You've spent about a week at the hospital and tonight is your first night back at home. The nightmares were supposed to have gone away, you repressed them. At night they come sneaking back into your head… what's worse is that they're bringing some long lost friends with them. Memories about the game have begun to work their way into your dreams as well, but you don't want to tell Karkat that. He worries enough.

"FINE."

He makes a show of it, as if you're inconveniencing him greatly. Truth is that he nearly jumps into the bed he's so happy… well not about your circumstances, but he missed you a lot. He curls up next to you and places his head on your chest. The two of you settle in not long after Karkat starts vibrating, a slight rumble being emitted from his frame. You think again of how the noise is lost somewhere between the buzz of a cicada and the purr of a large cat; yet all the same, very comforting.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N First off I've finally done some research into the injuries John would have, and he wouldn't have a cast and couldn't have taken a bath (but a shower is still an option ;D)… which are the only errors that really bother me enough to mention and I'm too lazy to go back and fix the last chapter, so… yeah. I have this week off and am going to be doing a ton of character research to make things interesting. I'm excited for where this is going!

**=== John Egbert: complain**

_A few weeks in the future, be john and be absolutely miserable._

"Kaaaarkaaaat…."

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT NOW?"

"I need to get up!"

"SO? I AM BUSY!"

"I have to pee again."

"WELL THEN GET YOUR WALKER AND FUCKING GO TO THE BATHROOM. I AM NOT HAULING YOUR ASS AROUND THE HIVE NOW THAT YOU CAN WALK AGAIN."

"Uhhhgggg…."

"NO!"

You let you let out one final exaggerated sigh. It's been three and a half weeks since your accident. Your ribs have finally stopped hurting, and your shoulder has made enough of a recovery that it is no longer in a sling. The doctor says your arm is useable enough that you should try to walk a little with the aid of a walker. In another week or so your arm will be able to hold you on crutches. Till then you're stuck looking like a little old lady hunched over a silver walker, complete with fluorescent yellow tennis balls to prevent to floor from scuffing…

But even a couple minutes of walking are exhausting and still really painful. Like everything about trying to make it from the sofa bed to the bathroom, five feet away, is the longest most excruciating trek you've ever had to make. And you know very well it's not.

On top of that you have to sit down when you pee. They should come and take away your man card just for that.

"Karkat… would you at least come help me get up?"

You look down at your legs hanging off the side of the mattress. They've gotten less muscular, thin from lack of use… Not that you were all that muscular to begin with, so you guess the change is only dramatic for yourself. Not that _he_ would tell you if he noticed. Karkat tiptoes around any discussion of physical appearance. It's just something he's always done. You can only imagine that his discomfort stems from his mutation. He never really learned to accept himself but he accepts that you accept him, and you guess that it's good enough.

But, from the kitchen you can hear your boyfriend growling and dishes being tossed around in frustration and for the first time in a long time you wonder how much of it is for show and how much is genuine.

Karkat hardly ever intends to hurt you with what he says, but anger is his default when he's stressed or upset... which is most of the time. Lately though you have been much more dependent, to the point where you feel like a burden and a nuisance.

Less pitiable and more pitiful.

When Karkat finally walks in you don't look up. The irritation that seems to roll off of him could probably manifest into an actual being and slap you across the face... Stranger things have happened. You can feel him roll his eyes as he places the shiny structure around your legs. You don't move.

"JOHN…"

". . ."

"JOHN. GIVE ME YOUR HANDS."

". . ."

"JOHN, I DON'T HAVE ALL FUCKING DAY!"

Karkat sighs in exasperation and reaches over. Despite the rage in his voice; he gingerly takes your hands in his own, placing them on the foam padded bars. You manage to keep them in place and take a deep breath. When you muster the courage you tilt your head up, and look at the angry troll above you.

But he isn't.

The look on Karkat's face isn't the look of anger or even irritation that usually scowls at everything. His brow is creased in a look of concern. When your eyes meet, his lips turn up into that small pitying smile that you know means so much more than "I'm sorry".

He reaches up and wipes away the tear that you didn't even know was there.

"JOHN, IT'S OK. LOOK I KNOW THIS IS HARD FOR YOU, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE AN ASSHOLE… IT'S JUST… I DON'T… SHIT, HOW DO I SAY THIS…?"

He runs a hand through his hair and you can see him trying to organize his thoughts, Karkat Vantas always has to say exactly the right thing.

Another moment of concentration and Karkat finally finds his voice.

"I'M WORRIED JOHN."

"What?"

You honestly have no idea where he is going with this.

"I DON'T THINK THAT THIS ACCIDENT WAS AN 'ACCIDENT'."

"Karkat, I really don't understand? Are you saying that whoever that was hit me did it on purpose? Like, I was targeted."

"YES. HONESTLY YOU'RE UNBELIEVIBLY UNOBSERVENT SOMETIMES…"

Or just really good at repressing things… until you go to sleep that is.

"LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE, JOHN. YOU WEREN'T EVEN THAT CLOSE TO THE SIDEWALK. THE DRIVER AIMED RIGHT FOR YOU… VRISKA SAYS THAT THE CAR WENT OUT OF ITS WAY TO HIT YOU. I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE HUMAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO YOUR ACCIDENT, AND THEY HAVEN'T FOUND HOOFBEASTMANURE. I THINK IT'S TIME TO TAKE THIS ROLE OUT OF THEIR INCOMPETANT HUMAN PRONGS."

"Who would want me dead?" You pull your hands back and hold yourself.

"I DON'T KNOW. BUT WHEN I FIND OUT…"

Karkat's eyebrows knotted together and the concern on his face deepened into a kind of anger that you haven't seen in him since you first met. Rage boiling just beneath the surface, bloodlust burning in his fiery eyes. This is the side of trolls that still frightens you.

_Are you scared?_

Yes… But not of Karkat. You are scared for whoever Karkat sets that burning gaze upon. May God have mercy on their soul.

**=== Be Karkat**

_That's not possible; you couldn't possibly handle the kind of emotion the alien is experiencing. Plus, he is scaring the shit out of you at the moment._

_Who else could you be? You're tired of being John and it's kind of painful to be him, what with a broken femur and all._

_Why not try to be the spider girl everyone's talking about?_

_Ya… that sounds good._

**=== Be the totally badass spider troll.**


End file.
